Jace, Vryn's Prodigy // Jace, Telepath Unbound MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Human Wizard
Abilities Transform
Power 0
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Looting with Jace allows rapid deck cycling for faster access to strategic spells and options.
  2. Ability to cast spells from the graveyard doubles impact and accelerates gameplay with Jace, Telepath Unbound.
  3. Instant speed activation affords dynamic interaction, fostering advanced strategic plays during games.

Text of card

: Draw a card, then discard a card. If there are five or more cards in your graveyard, exile Jace, Vryn's Prodigy, then return him to the battlefield transformed under his owner's control.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Jace Vryn’s Prodigy allows players to draw and then discard a card, efficiently cycling through the deck to access key spells and strategies faster. This provides a consistent flow of new options and increases the chances of having the right answers at the right time.

Resource Acceleration: When this card transforms into Jace, Telepath Unbound, it offers the ability to replay spells from the graveyard. This effectively doubles the utility of some of the most impactful spells in the game, accelerating your resources as you get more usage out of single cards.

Instant Speed: The flexibility to activate Jace Vryn’s Prodigy at instant speed gives players the opportunity to adapt to the evolving game state, making it easier to respond to an opponent’s actions. This ability to interact during the opponent’s turn adds layers of strategy, as you can wait until the last possible moment to make your move, keeping your opponent guessing.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of Jace Vryn’s Prodigy is its activation cost, which necessitates discarding a card. This could potentially deplete your hand, especially in crucial moments when each card in your grip counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Jace Vryn’s Prodigy requires both blue and generic mana for its transformation into a planeswalker. This mana specificity means it aligns predominantly with blue strategies and might not fit seamlessly into multicolored decks that are not resource-flexible.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although two mana for a looter effect is a standard rate, the transformation into Jace, Telepath Unbound requires a specific setup that might delay its impact compared to other low-cost creatures or planeswalkers that provide immediate value or have lower setup conditions.


Reasons to Include Jace Vryn’s Prodigy in Your Collection

Versatility: Jace Vryn’s Prodigy serves as both an efficient creature early game and a powerful planeswalker once transformed. This dual functionality allows it to be included in a variety of blue-oriented decks, such as control or midrange.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to loot – drawing a card then discarding a card – becomes a setup for graveyard strategies, making it an excellent piece in combo decks looking to utilize the full potential of their graveyard.

Meta-Relevance: In formats where the card pool is vast like Modern and Legacy, having a tool that adapts to various meta shifts is crucial. Jace Vryn’s Prodigy’s ability to help sculpt the perfect hand and later control the board as Jace, Telepath Unbound keeps it relevant in an ever-changing competitive landscape.


How to Beat Jace Vryn’s Prodigy

Jace Vryn’s Prodigy is a powerful card in the MTG universe, recognized for its versatility and its capability to transform into a potent planeswalker, Jace, Telepath Unbound. Facing off against this card requires a well-thought-out strategy. Its ability to loot—drawing a card then discarding a card—can quickly turn the tides by filling the graveyard with the right tools for later use.

One effective method to counter this is to apply graveyard disruption. Cards like Relic of Progenitus or Tormod’s Crypt can remove key cards from the graveyard, reducing Jace’s effectiveness. Another approach is to exert pressure early in the game before Jace can be flipped or limit the opportunities to safely use its loot ability. Direct removal spells like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can remove Jace before it transforms, preventing a more dangerous threat from arising. Swift and decisive action paired with a clear understanding of graveyard mechanics can be the key to overcoming the challenge posed by Jace Vryn’s Prodigy.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’re looking to enhance your MTG arsenal, Jace Vryn’s Prodigy is a powerhouse worth considering. Its ability to draw and discard ensures a steady churn of your deck, offering strategic depth in blue-centered builds. When transformed, this prodigy amplifies your spell-casting potential, making it a formidable force in formats like Modern and Legacy. Grasping its strengths and weaknesses can turn the tide of your matches. We encourage you to explore the immense potential of Jace Vryn’s Prodigy and other transformative cards, refining your deck with cards that align with your playstyle. Discover more insights and perfect your strategy with us.


Cards like Jace, Vryn's Prodigy // Jace, Telepath Unbound

Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy is a standout card within the landscape of transform cards in Magic: The Gathering. In its cohort, it’s often pitted against other powerful transforming cards like Delver of Secrets. Both cards initiate play as creatures that later metamorphose to offer distinct advantages. Delver of Secrets, known for its low casting cost, flips to become an evasive flying creature, but lacks the utility Jace provides once transformed.

Similarly, Liliana, Heretical Healer mirrors Jace’s transformability. Upon transformation, Liliana becomes an impactful planeswalker capable of reanimating creatures, much like how Jace offers card selection and flashback opportunities. However, Liliana’s transformation is condition dependent, while Jace can consistently flip through self-milling and drawing a new card. Yet another analogous card is Thing in the Ice, which requires spellcasting to transform and wipe the board, whereas Jace focuses more on card advantage and strategic recursion.

The unique capability that Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy brings to the table with its reliable card-filtering mechanism and its transformation into a card advantage engine, Jace, Telepath Unbound, positions it as a versatile favorite in various MTG formats, particularly for players who value strategic depth and incremental advantages.

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Jace, Vryn's Prodigy // Jace, Telepath Unbound MTG card by a specific set like San Diego Comic-Con 2015 and Magic Origins, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Jace, Vryn's Prodigy // Jace, Telepath Unbound and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Jace, Vryn's Prodigy // Jace, Telepath Unbound Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2015-07-09 and 2023-05-08. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-07-09San Diego Comic-Con 2015PS15 602015TransformBlackWayne Reynolds
22015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 602015TransformBlackJaime Jones
32015-07-17Magic Origins PromosPORI 60s2015TransformBlackJaime Jones
42017-11-24From the Vault: TransformV17 122015TransformBlackJaime Jones
52023-05-08From Cute to BrutePCTB 112015TransformBlackJaime Jones

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Jace, Vryn's Prodigy // Jace, Telepath Unbound has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Jace, Vryn's Prodigy // Jace, Telepath Unbound card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2015-06-22 A Magic Origins planeswalker that enters the battlefield because of the ability of its front face will enter with loyalty counters as normal.
2015-06-22 A double-faced card enters the battlefield with its front face up by default, unless a spell or ability instructs you to put it onto the battlefield transformed, in which case it enters with its back face up.
2015-06-22 Each face of a double-faced card has its own set of characteristics: name, types, subtypes, power and toughness, loyalty, abilities, and so on. While a double-faced card is on the battlefield, consider only the characteristics of the face that’s currently up. The other set of characteristics is ignored. While a double-faced card isn’t on the battlefield, consider only the characteristics of its front face.
2015-06-22 If a double-faced card is manifested, it will be put onto the battlefield face down (this is also true if it’s put onto the battlefield face down some other way). Note that “face down” is not synonymous with “with its back face up.” A manifested double-faced card is a 2/2 creature with no name, mana cost, creature types, or abilities. While face down, it can’t transform. If the front face of a manifested double-faced card is a creature card, you can turn it face up by paying its mana cost. If you do, its front face will be up. A double-faced card on the battlefield can’t be turned face down.
2015-06-22 If you activate the second ability of Jace, Telepath Unbound, you must follow the timing rules for the card’s types. For example, if you target a sorcery card, you may cast it during your main phase when the stack is empty. You pay all the spell’s costs.
2015-06-22 If you don’t cast the card that turn, nothing happens. It remains in your graveyard.
2015-06-22 In some rare cases, a spell or ability may cause one of these five cards to transform while it’s a creature (front face up) on the battlefield. If this happens, the resulting planeswalker won’t have any loyalty counters on it and will subsequently be put into its owner’s graveyard.
2015-06-22 The activated ability of Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy checks to see if there are five or more cards in your graveyard after you discard a card. Putting a fifth card into your graveyard at other times won’t cause Jace to be exiled, nor will Jace entering the battlefield while there are five or more cards in your graveyard.
2015-06-22 The back face of a double-faced card (in the case of Magic Origins, the planeswalker face) can’t be cast.
2015-06-22 The card is exiled only if it’s cast from the graveyard and put back into the graveyard (either by resolving or being countered). If, at any time, the card goes to a hidden zone (such as your hand or your library), the effect loses track of the card. It won’t be exiled, even if that card is put into your graveyard later that turn.
2015-06-22 The converted mana cost of a double-faced card not on the battlefield is the converted mana cost of its front face.
2015-06-22 You can activate one of the planeswalker’s loyalty abilities the turn it enters the battlefield. However, you may do so only during one of your main phases when the stack is empty. For example, if the planeswalker enters the battlefield during combat, there will be an opportunity for your opponent to remove it before you can activate one of its abilities.
2016-04-08 If you discard a card with madness while resolving the ability of Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy, you’ll need to already have five other cards in your graveyard to satisfy that ability’s condition. You can’t choose to put the card directly into your graveyard to satisfy it.
2016-04-08 The back face of a double-faced card doesn’t have a mana cost. A double-faced permanent with its back face up has a converted mana cost equal to the converted mana cost of its front face. Each back face has a color indicator that defines its color.
2016-07-13 For more information on double-faced cards, see the Shadows over Innistrad mechanics article (http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/shadows-over-innistrad-mechanics).
2017-07-17 Jace, Vryn's Prodigy is banned as a commander in Duel Commander format, but it may be part of your deck.
2017-09-29 You can control two of this permanent, one front-face up and the other back-face up, at the same time.

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